John Craven speaks out about former Countryfile co-star Miriam O'Reilly's departure | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV | Daily Express CELEBRITY NEWS John Craven speaks out about former Countryfile co-star Miriam O'Reilly's departure IT WAS the story that gained newspaper inches when Miriam O'Reilly sued the BBC after they sacked her from TV show Countryfile. 17:10, Tue, Jul 15, 2014 John Craven has spoken out about his former Countryfile co-star's departure[GETTY] The Irish presenter's former co-star John Craven has insisted he was right to not get involved after Miriam was unceremoniously axed from the show. O'Reilly, 57, was sacked when the series was moved to Sunday evenings on BBC1 and she went on to successfully sue the BBC for age discrimination. The programme relaunched with younger presenters Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker, along with veteran broadcaster Craven. Craven, 73, told Radio Times magazine: "It got very unpleasant and for the team it was an unhappy time. "I didn't get involved because I'm not management, I'm just a hired hand.

When you're in the front line as a presenter, the easiest thing for a new manager to do when they come in is get rid of you and bring in a new face and that's always been the case. I'm incredibly lucky because I've survived about 12 different series producers on Countryfile." Miriam O'Reilly sued the BBC after they sacked her [REX] Asked whether O'Reilly was right to sue the corporation, Craven replied: "Yes, if she felt that she'd been badly treated then of course she was right to take them on." Craven is about to celebrate his 25th anniversary on the show. The former Newsround presenter said: "I think of myself as very much a country person. Although I know I'll never be fully accepted. But I like to think, as we try to prove on the show, that there's room for everyone in the countryside." He added: "There was an idea that you weren't a true country person unless you believed in hunting. I don't believe that to be true.

I think there are a lot of country people who don't agree with hunting." He said of the success of Newsround, which he presented from 1972 to 1989: "It was never longer than eight minutes. I think it was successful because it was so short. Plus in those days it wasn't worth getting out of your chair to switch over." Related articles Countryfile's first ever festival's got bell-ringing and John Craven | Daily Mail Online Share this article Share Taking place in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, the beautiful Oxfordshire stately home which was Winston Churchill’s birthplace, is the first Countryfile Live — a sprawling four-day festival set up on the back of the most watched factual programme on British TV. Showcasing the British countryside, it attracts audiences of more than eight million an episode — with one earlier this year pulling in 9.5 million — that’s 1.1 million more than Top Gear at its peak. Last winter, ratings quietly beat hugely-publicised prime-time juggernauts The X Factor, Call The Midwife and War And Peace. It has spawned various spin-offs, including Secret Britain, Country Tracks and Countryfile Diaries.

Not bad for a programme which, when it began life as a half-hour Sunday morning show in 1988, drew audiences of around two million. Presenter Ellie Harrison gets ready for the festival this weekend Prince Charles — who guest-edited it three years ago — and the Duchess of Cornwall are said to be ‘huge fans’, while David Cameron has appeared on it twice. Some viewers were not impressed that their favourite programme had been ‘polluted’ by politics. After all, Countryfile remains, for the most part, soothingly free of ideology, as well as a refuge from the violence, swearing and general nastiness that fills so much of the TV schedules. Here at Blenheim, the show’s presenters — among them John Craven (who’s been with the programme for almost 30 years), clean-cut Matt Baker (formerly of Blue Peter), smiling blonde Ellie Harrison and weatherbeaten reporter Tom Heap — used hedge-trimmers to snip a ceremonial ribbon as they declared the festival open. It looks set to be a demanding weekend. There were reports of three-hour tailbacks as fans converged on the event in their tens of thousands. Some of the ladies arriving admit to a certain affection for the men in the Countryfile line-up.

Gaynor Allen, 53, from Leicestershire, who is queuing with her husband Rick, 66, is particularly enamoured of presenter Adam Henson, probably Britain’s most famous farmer. ‘I think it’s fair to say that Gaynor has only come to see Adam,’ says Rick. ‘Well, he’s definitely a bit of eye-candy on a Sunday evening,’ she replies. ‘Matt and Adam are both charming,’ says Nicky Ballard, who has travelled from Farnborough, in Hampshire, with old schoolfriend Mary Alexander, both 63. ‘They’re also knowledgeable about a lot of important and interesting things, so I would far prefer having a conversation with them to, say, an actor.’ Taking place in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, the beautiful Oxfordshire stately home which was Winston Churchill’s birthplace, is the first Countryfile Live She could just as well be talking about the show as a whole. For Countryfile’s appeal lies not simply in looking good — with its photogenic presenters or the stunning landscapes from all around the country — but also its range of subjects.

Recent episodes have included items as diverse as female mud-wrestling in Cumbria and the importance of cow-pats as a source of insects for bats. Neither does Countryfile shy away from controversial issues of the day, from the impact of wind turbines on the countryside to Brexit’s consequences for the rural economy. It’s clearly a winning combination. ‘I think one reason Countryfile appeals to people is that we live such busy lives. We like to see real people doing real things,’ Adam Henson tells me between signing autographs and posing for selfies with fans. ‘It’s also got a lot of honesty and integrity, and our viewers like that.’ If that implies a hint of nostalgia, it is certainly what has attracted Nicky and Mary, now enjoying a cream tea in the pavillion. Gazing out on a replica village green, complete with maypole, Nicky recalls growing up in the Hampshire countryside in the Sixties. ‘There were fields around us and I was always riding horses and dragging hay bales around,’ she says.

‘Now, Farnborough is built-up with housing estates, like many places in the South-East, and people like me have a secret wish to be closer to that kind of life again.’ That desire is recognised by John Savings, a 73-year-old volunteer with the National Hedgelaying Society and proud creator of a model showing the 30 or so different styles of hedge in the UK. These range from the Welsh Border — handy for keeping sheep in check — to the more robust Midlands Bullock, which, as its name suggests, is for larger livestock. Vintage hay baling techniques are on display during Countryfile Live It was John who taught Prince Charles how to lay hedges many years ago and he still receives a Christmas card from Highgrove every year. John’s is one of many stands offering visitors a chance to try traditional pursuits, including dry stone-walling and thatching. There are even bell-ringing lessons in the Lichfield Diocesan Mobile Belfry, which holds sessions at shows across the country for budding campanologists.

Although all these demonstrations, featuring shire horses, gun dogs and falconry, are all very popular, it’s the personal appearances by the Countryfile presenters which really pull in the crowds. In a purpose-built replica of an old barn, they take turns on stage and the excitement proves too much for those waiting to see Adam Henson and Tom Heap. ‘Ooh, I thought the British were good at queueing,’ says the announcer as people break ranks and rush for the lines of hay bales which serve as seats. ‘But that was more like a cattle stampede.’ The ensuing discussion covers issues such as falling milk prices and rare breeds. Inevitably, there has been a debate about how Countryfile approaches such topics when its audience is divided into those who are experts and those who are viewers with little knowledge of rural matters and want to learn. Speaking about suggestions that the show sometimes ‘dumbs down’, Adam says: ‘We have to remember that we’re talking to lots of people who don’t know anything about agriculture.’ For example, if he mentions ‘steers’, he says he is reminded in his earpiece to explain that they are ‘castrated male cattle’.

But as Tom says, the true skill of the presenters lies in being able to make ‘even soil sexy’. Adam laughs off the idea that he might be ‘eye candy’. ‘That’s very flattering to my ego, but I think the lady who said it must have mixed me up with Matt Baker,’ he tells me. That kind of endearing modesty seems typical of the Countryfile team, who have strong personal ties to the countryside. Anita Rani, the show’s newest recruit, says that as a child growing up in Bradford, venturing out to the surrounding countryside with her Punjabi father, it was unusual to see other ethnic minority families. ‘This is a pretty big event but it’s not like we’re standing on stage like rock stars, going “Hello Wembley!”’ says Ellie Harrison, who has her own Cotswold smallholding. Matt Baker agrees: ‘Countryfile is all about the viewers and giving them a programme they can really enjoy and learn from.’ And it’s not just the humans who might be regarded as the stars of this show.

Today, much fuss is being made of Queenie and Nicola, two Highland cows who are the daughter and granddaughter respectively of Eric, the breeding bull, retired from Adam’s Cotswold farm. Eric is now living on Adam’s sister’s farm, but his fans posing for selfies with his descendants hints at another clue — the British love of animals — to the remarkable success of a programme which spotlights all that is good about our country. n Tickets for tomorrow, the final day of Countryfile Live, are available at countryfilelive.com or by phoning 0844 249 1000. 2016 in British television | Wiki | Everipedia You can edit something on the page right now! Register today, it's fast and free. 2016 in British television This is a list of events taking place in 2016 related to British television . Events Event 1 BBC One airs an extended version of its television special, Adele at the BBC , which includes comedy footage of a sketch in which Adele surprises a roomful of lookalikes . The footage had proved popular with viewers of the BBC's YouTube site following the programme's previous broadcast in November 2015.

[2] [3] ITV have signed a £30m four-year deal for the terrestrial broadcasting rights to air horse racing from 2017, ending a three decades long run of the sport on Channel 4 . Major events will include the Grand National . [4] 2 It is announced that British horse racing coverage will move from Channel 4 to ITV from January 2017 to January 2021 after ITV won the broadcasting rights to show free-to-air coverage of the sport. Events such as the Cheltenham Festival , Grand National , the Derby and Royal Ascot will be part of ITV's coverage, with fixtures airing on ITV and ITV4 . [5] [6] Figures indicate that The Abominable Bride , an episode of BBC One's Sherlock that aired on New Year's Day, was the most watched drama over the 2015–16 festive period, with an audience of eight million viewers. The Christmas Day finale of Downton Abbey had the highest viewership of that day, with an audience of 6.6 million.

[7] Consolidated figures, which include catch-up viewers, subsequently indicate Downton Abbey to have been the most watched programme of the festive period, with an audience of 10.5 million. [8] 3 Debut of BBC One 's adaptation of War & Peace , which is watched by an average audience of 6.3 million, peaking at 6.7 million. [9] 4 The BBC confirms 16 February as the date on which BBC Three will begin its transition to an online only channel. A new logo for the channel is introduced. [10] 5 Launch of the seventeenth series of Celebrity Big Brother . [2] Contestant Winston McKenzie causes controversy after expressing anti-gay sentiment in his entry video when he says that he will "cope with a homosexual in the house [by] standing against a brick wall all the time". The former UK Independence Party member and candidate for the 2016 London Mayoral election is booed by the audience as he enters the Big Brother house, while Ofcom have received 165 complaints about the comments by the following day. The regulator says it will assess the complaints before deciding whether to launch an investigation.

[2] 6 Writer Charlie Higson confirms that ITV have cancelled Jekyll and Hyde after one series. [2] The Guardian newspaper appoints Newsnight 's investigations correspondent, Nick Hopkins as its head of investigations. [2] The opening episode of the Eighteenth series of Midsomer Murders is unique in that its storyline features no actual murder. [2] 7 Police confirm that three bodies found at a house in London two days earlier are those of missing former EastEnders actress Sian Blake and her two children, who disappeared on 13 December 2015. [2] Her partner is subsequently arrested by police in Ghana. [2] 8 The BBC is forced to defend its decision to allow shadow defence minister Stephen Doughty to resign on an edition of The Daily Politics after the Labour Party 's leadership accuses it of pursuing a "particular political narrative". [2] Doughty had resigned on the programme two days earlier, citing his unhappiness over a recent shadow cabinet reshuffle. [2] [2] Sheridan Smith will play the head of a Dewsbury residents group who spearheaded the search for Shannon Matthews in a forthcoming BBC drama about the girl's 2008 kidnapping.

[3] Archaeologists have called for Channel 5 to pull the series Battlefield Recovery from the schedule amid allegations of grave robbery. The programme, due to debut on 9 January, shows amateur enthusiasts unearthing war graves in Eastern Europe, and is believed to be a reworking of a 2014 programme titled Nazi War Diggers, which was pulled from the National Geographic schedules after criticism. [3] 11 Channel 4 have signed David Coulthard to present their Formula One coverage, ending speculation that he would appear in the new series of Top Gear . [3] 15 As Barbara Windsor makes her latest occasional return to EastEnders as Peggy Mitchell , the actress reveals that she has decided to quit the series for good and that her character will be killed off. Peggy will die from terminal cancer in scenes to be aired later in the year. [3] It is subsequently announced that Ross Kemp will reprise his role as Peggy's son, Grant as part of her exit storyline. [3] 18 Peter Fincham announces he will step down as ITV's director of television from February. He will be replaced by Kevin Lygo , the channel's current director of studios.

[3] 19 BBC One controller Charlotte Moore is appointed to the newly created role of controller of BBC TV channels and iPlayer, while Kim Shillinglaw , current controller of BBC Two and BBC Four is to leave the BBC and her position abolished. [3] 31 The death is announced of broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan following a short illness. He was 77. [3] February Event 2 The BBC announces a deal with Discovery Communications that enables it to broadcast coverage of the Summer and Winter Olympics up to and including the 2024 Summer Games . The agreement covers television, radio and online coverage. [3] 4 US actor Matt LeBlanc has been signed as a presenter on the relaunched Top Gear , hosting alongside Chris Evans when the show returns in May. [3] 5 Media regulator Ofcom is considering whether to investigate a party political broadcast by the UK Independence Party that urged people to vote to leave the European Union because Turkey could join. The film, which emphasized Turkey's Muslim population, suggested that country's accession to the EU could result in an influx of Turkish citizens into the UK.

The four-minute film, which aired on 3 February, has resulted in 30 complaints, including allegations of inciting racial hatred. [4] It is reported that actress Tina Hobley has been forced to quit the third series of Channel 4's athletics-based reality show The Jump after sustaining a dislocated elbow that resulted from a fall while she was training for the series. [4] Reality television star Scott Timlin wins the seventeenth series of Celebrity Big Brother . [4] 8 Channel 4 launches an urgent safety review of its athletics-based reality series The Jump after olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle and swimmer Rebecca Adlington became the second and third contestants to be forced to withdraw from the competition as a result of injuries suffered during its making. [4] 9 Reality television star Mark-Francis Vandelli withdraws from The Jump after fracturing his ankle during training. [4] 11 The full Top Gear presenting line up is revealed: Chris Evans, Matt LeBlanc, Sabine Schmitz, Eddie Jordan, Rory Reid and Chris Harris. [4] After suffering a hamstring injury during training, athlete Linford Christie becomes the fifth contestant to withdraw from The Jump.

[4] Channel 5, 5*, and 5USA get a new look as their stencil logos for their channels as they get their very first airing. 5* is also rebranded as 5Star on the same day. [4] 15 BBC Worldwide announces that Keeping Up Appearances is the Corporation's most exported television programme, having been sold to broadcasters overseas nearly 1,000 times. [4] BBC Three 's final night on air sees it repeating episodes of some of its most popular series, including The Mighty Boosh and Family Guy . The final programme, aired in the early hours of 16 February, is a repeat of an episode of Gavin & Stacey . BBC Three becomes an online channel from 16 February. [4] 18 Sean O'Connor , current editor of BBC Radio 4 's The Archers is to take over as producer of EastEnders , replacing Dominic Treadwell-Collins . [5] 19 The BBC Trust criticises two nature documentaries for serious editorial breaches over misleading content.

In Patagonia: Earth's Secret Paradise, aired in September 2015, apparent footage of a volcanic eruption which occurred that year was actually of a similar event filmed in 2011, while a 2011 documentary apparently showing wild wolves hunting a baby camel was also faked. Producers used a semi-domesticated wolf for scenes in Human Planet: Deserts – Life in the Furnace, which was let off its lead shortly before filming commenced. [5] Nick Grimshaw confirms he has left The X Factor , and will not be a judge on the series when it returns later in the year. [5] This Morning agony aunt Denise Robertson , who has been with the series since it began in 1988, confirms she has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer . [5] 20 The family of Paul Daniels confirm the magician has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.

[5] 23 The BBC announces three special debates ahead of the European Union membership referendum on 21 June—a young voters debate from Glasgow on 19 May, a Question Time special on 15 June, and what is biled as the BBC's "biggest ever campaign event" at Wembley Arena on 21 June. [5] Chef James Martin announces he will leave BBC One's Saturday Kitchen from the end of March; the programme will use a guest presenter format from the start of April. [5] 24 Jeremy Clarkson apologises to Oisin Tymon, the Top Gear producer he punched in 2015, after settling a £100,000 race discrimination and injury claim. [5] 25 Publication of the Dame Janet Smith Review , which concludes that serious failings at the BBC allowed Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall to sexually abuse nearly 100 people without detection. [5] BBC Director-General Tony Hall confirms that disc jockey Tony Blackburn has been sacked by the BBC because he failed to co-operate with an element of Janet Smith 's report.

Blackburn claims he has been "hung out to dry" by the investigation, and threatens to take legal action against his former employers. [5] Blue Peter presenter Lindsey Russell abandons her attempt to cross the Irish Sea in a giant inflatable ball due to bad weather. [6] 26 Bill Turnbull presents his final BBC Breakfast programme after fifteen years as a presenter. Sports presenter Dan Walker is announced as his replacement. [6] Channel 4 News economics editor Paul Mason announces he is leaving the broadcaster to pursue a freelance career. [6] Former The Voice UK contestants Joe and Jake are selected to represent the UK at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest , with the uptempo " You're Not Alone ", a song about unity and love. They are selected to be this year's UK Eurovision entry during a live show held at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town , London, and which is broadcast on BBC Four . [6] The weekly newspaper review programme What the Papers Say , which aired on television for many years and of late has been part of the BBC Radio 4 schedule, is to be axed due to cost cutting measures at the network. It will end in March after being broadcast for 60 years.

[6] 27 Singer Sarah Harding becomes the sixth person to withdraw from the third series of Channel 4's The Jump because of injury. [6] 29 Heather Mills becomes the seventh person to leave The Jump because of injury, having been brought in to replace previous contestants injured during the making of the programme. [6] March Event 1 Peter Salmon is to step down as the BBC's Director of Studios to take up a position with Endemol Shine, it is announced. [6] Sir David Clementi 's review of BBC governance has concluded that the BBC Trust is "flawed" and that Ofcom should take on responsibility for the role currently overseen by the Trust. [6] 2 The death is announced of Coronation Street creator Tony Warren , who died on the evening of 1 March, aged 79. [6] Culture Secretary John Whittingdale announces that the government will rush through legislation to close the loophole that allows viewers without a television licence to watch catch-up services on BBC iPlayer . [7] 6 Former Rugby Union international Ben Cohen wins Series 3 of The Jump .

Cohen had been drafted in to replace one of a number of celebrities who had dropped out of the series due to injury. [7] 8 Sophie Okonedo and Adrian Lester will star in ground breaking BBC One crime drama Undercover , which debuts in April. The show is rare in that it will feature black lead characters in a prime time drama where their ethnicity is not a central part of the plot. [7] The full presenting team of Channel 4's Formula One coverage is confirmed as Murray Walker , Eddie Jordan , Steve Jones , David Coulthard , Alain Prost , Susie Wolff , Ben Edwards and Alex Zanardi . [7] 9 Former Newsround presenter John Craven is confirmed as the presenter of a new Countryfile daily spin off titled Countryfile Diaries, which will attempt to build on the popularity of the Sunday evening programme. [7] 10 A YouGov survey commissioned by the political organization 38 Degrees indicates that 53% of those questioned regard the BBC as their most-trusted source of news content.

[7] A report published by TV industry marketing body Thinkbox suggests that viewers watched an average of 77 minutes per week of streamed television content from providers such as Netflix and Amazon Prime during 2015, almost doubling the average for 2014. [7] The BBC announces a landmark sitcoms season, which will see new one-off episodes of series such as Till Death Us Do Part , Porridge and Keeping Up Appearances . [7] BBC Director-General Tony Hall pledges to investigate increasing the availability of British Sign Language for entertainment programmes after being questioned on the issue by school students as part of the BBC's annual School Report News Day. [7] 14 Top Gear presenter Chris Evans apologises "unreservedly" after it emerged that scenes for a stunt in the forthcoming series of the motoring show were filmed around the Cenotaph , something Evans describes as "disrespectful" and which left him feeling "mortified" when he learned of it. Evans also says that footage of the stunt will never be broadcast [7] The BBC also confirms that the material will not be shown. [8] CBBC gets a new look and logo.

[8] ITV confirms that the set of Emmerdale , which is situated on the Harewood Estate in Leeds , will be open for guided tours from April. [8] 15 Comedian Jack Dee confirms he is stepping down as presenter of The Apprentice: You're Fired due to other work commitments. [8] 16 As the second series of BBC One crime drama Happy Valley reaches its conclusion, screenwriter Sally Wainwright says that she would like to write a third series but needs time to develop the plot. [8] 17 Sky News presenter Kay Burley attracts ridicule over her response to the death of former newsreader Cliff Michelmore after confusing him with Malcolm Muggeridge , who died in 1990, and tweeting her condolences to Muggeridge's family. [8] 18 Sport Relief 2016 is aired across the BBC, raising more than £55m for good causes by the following day. [8] 19 Channel 4 begins its Formula One coverage with highlights of the 2016 Australian Grand Prix , the first race of the 2016 season .

[8] The first live race to be aired by the channel is the Bahrain Grand Prix , held two weeks later. [8] 21 After the concluding two episodes of the BBC One thriller The Night Manager were posted online, producers of the series say they are working hard to remove the content. [8] An edition of The Jeremy Kyle Show aired on 18 January that included an expletive spoken with a Scottish accent escapes censure from Ofcom after ITV said that the person's accent meant the word had not been "understood" before the show was broadcast. No complaints about the incident were received by the regulator. [9] 22 Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid breaks down while interviewing a man who rescued a baby from drowning. [9] 24 Sky Sports signs an exclusive deal to broadcast live Formula 1 coverage from 2019, meaning live coverage with the exception of the British Grand Prix will no longer be free. [9] 25 A fire in the post room of ITV's London studios temporarily forces Good Morning Britain off the air as people are evacuated from the building and the fire tackled. [9] 26 James Martin presents his final edition of Saturday Kitchen after ten years.

[9] Chloe Castro and Beth Morris, two contestants on this year's series of The Voice , withdraw from the contest hours before the live part of the show is due to begin. Castro cites health reasons for her decision, while Morris says she is withdrawing for personal reasons. [9] Morris subsequently confirms that she withdrew from the series because of cocaine addiction. [9] 27 The FA Cup trophy that was in use between 1911 and 1992 is valued at more than £1m on an edition of Antiques Roadshow , making it the most valuable item to appear on the programme. [9] The final episode of BBC One's thriller The Night Manager draws an audience of 6.6 million, beating ITV's Our Queen at 90, which airs in the same timeslot but has a million fewer viewers. [9] 28 Jeremy Kyle makes his presenting debut on Good Morning Britain, standing in for Piers Morgan . [9] 29 Alex Scott wins the second series of Bear Grylls: Mission Survive . [10] 9 Channel 4 airs its final Grand National before ITV take over the broadcasting rights in 2017.

Viewing figures indicate the event to have been watched by 10m people. [10] Kevin Simm , a former member of 2000s group Liberty X , wins the fifth series of The Voice UK, and releases his debut single "All You Good Friends". [98] 12 The Football Association confirms it has signed a new three-year contract with BT TV and the BBC to air coverage of the FA Cup , giving them the broadcasting rights to the competition until 2021. The deal will also see an increase in coverage of women's football by both broadcasters. [10] [10] 15 While reporting from the launch of the Vote Leave campaign in Manchester, Channel 4 journalist Michael Crick is interrupted by an audience member while doing a live broadcast after London Mayor Boris Johnson asked for someone to go and shut him up. [2] 17 Former snooker World Champion Steve Davis announces his retirement live on air during the BBC's coverage of the 2016 World Snooker Championship . Davis, who is providing commentary on the tournament, is allowed to carry the World Championship trophy on a lap of honour around the Crucible Theatre , the venue for the competition.

[2] 19 Sky launches a new major rebrand of its channels, including Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, and Sky Arts. [98] 21 BBC One drama series Dickensian is cancelled after one series. [2] 23 Pearl Mackie is confirmed as the new Doctor Who companion , replacing Jenna Coleman , who left the series in 2015. The announcement is made on BBC One at half-time during the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Everton. [2] 27 Event 1 The Labour Party accuses Culture Secretary John Whittingdale of "unacceptable interference" after a number of Sunday newspapers report that he will allow commercial broadcasters to have a say over the BBC's peak-time scheduling. The government says it has no plans to implement such a policy. [2] 2 The BBC have secured a two-year extension to their World Snooker Championship broadcasting rights, meaning coverage of the tournament will remain with the BBC until at least 2019. [2] 6 Jane Devonshire wins the 2016 series of MasterChef . [2] 8 Debut of Robert Peston 's new ITV politics talk show, Peston on Sunday .

Guests on the opening programme include Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and documentary maker Louis Theroux . [2] The programme, screened immediately after BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show , is seen by an audience of 166,000, a tenth of the 1.6 million viewers who watched its BBC equivalent. [2] 10 The government has dropped plans for a full privatisation of Channel 4, and is instead considering other options, including a possible partial privatisation of the broadcaster. [2] 11 Jeremy Clarkson confirms that his new Amazon Prime series will be titled The Grand Tour , and air from a different location each week. The show is due to begin in the autumn. [2] ITV confirms that it has axed the World War II drama series Home Fires after two seasons, prompting the launch of a Change.org petition urging the broadcaster to reconsider its decision. [2] Vote Leave , the official group campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union, warns ITV it faces "consequences for its future" after the broadcaster schedules a referendum debate between prime minister David Cameron and Nigel Farage (public face of the rival Grassroots Out ) while overlooking its own prominent members.

Vote Leave also threatens to take legal action against ITV over the 7 June programme. [2] In response ITV says that Vote Leave have been invited to take part in a separate debate on 9 June. [2] 12 Publication of the long-awaited white paper setting out the government's vision of the future direction of the BBC . Among proposals are greater transparency of entertainers salaries, to make the BBC a more distinctive service and to increase the diversity of its output. The document also proposes the appointment of an executive board to replace the BBC Trust , and the possibility for the first BBC pay-TV service. [2] While broadly welcoming the proposals, BBC Director-General Tony Hall expresses concern the government will have too much power over the BBC if allowed to appoint board members. [2] 14 Ukraine 's Jamala wins the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest with " 1944 ", a song about Josef Stalin 's deportation of Crimean Tatars during World War II. The song narrowly beats the Australian entry, Dami Im 's " Sound of Silence ", while the United Kingdom 's entry, " You're Not Alone " by Joe and Jake finishes in 24th place.

[2] Figures subsequently indicate the event to have been watched by an average audience of 7.1m, peaking at 8.5m. [2] 17 The BBC announces the closure of its Food, Newsbeat and BBC News Magazine websites as part of a £15 million cost-cutting drive. Although the content will be archived, and therefore continue to be available online, it will be more difficult to access. [2] News of the closure of the BBC Food website prompts 100,000 people to sign a Change.org petition to urge the BBC to reverse its decision. [2] In response the BBC says that most of the 11,000 recipes affected by the changes will be moved to the BBC Good Food website, which is operated by the corporation's commercial arm. [2] Barbara Windsor makes her final EastEnders appearance as Peggy Mitchell ; the character having been killed off. [2] Windsor's final episode is watched by a viewership of 6.9 million (a 37% audience share). [2] 18 Liverpool 's Europa League match with Sevilla gives BT Sport their largest ever audience, with 3.5 million viewers.

As well as being aired by BT, the match is also shown free-to-air via YouTube . [2] 20 ITV's South Bank studios are evacuated after a bomb alert involving a suspect vehicle parked nearby. [2] Overnight viewing figures indicate that the previous day's repeat edition of Bargain Hunt –a show highlighted by the government in its recent white paper as an example of the BBC's lack of diversity and adventure–attracted a greater audience share than did that evening's episode of Peaky Blinders . Bargain Hunt, aired at 12.15pm, had an audience of 1.7 million (a 32% share), while Peaky Blinders, at 9.00pm, was seen by 1.5 million (8%). [2] 26 The BBC announces plans for the Barbara Windsor biopic Babs , as well as a dramatisation of David Nicholls ' novel Us . The BBC Two drama Peaky Blinders has also been renewed for another two series. [2] 28 Event 1 Sharon Osbourne , Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh will return as judges on The X Factor for the forthcoming series , it is confirmed.

Dermot O'Leary is also returning as presenter. [2] 3 Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat tells the programme's official magazine that an unnamed black actor was offered the role of The Doctor , but that "it didn't work out". [2] 4 Leaked data published by The Daily Telegraph suggests that 37 people have complained about the content of the relaunched Top Gear, in particular jokes presenter Chris Evans made about his predecessor, Jeremy Clarkson . [2] Overnight viewing figures for the 5 June edition of the programme suggest it was seen by an audience of 2.8 million, peaking at 3.3 million, a decrease of almost a third on the 29 May edition's viewership. [2] 6 Media regulator Ofcom rules that an edition of Channel 4 game show Countdown aired on 21 March breached product placement rules after presenter Nick Hewer talked at length about the Ideal Home Show , which was taking place at London's Olympia the time. Guest Mark Foster plugged P&O Cruises in the same programme, something that was also found to be in breach of the regulations.

In response Channel 4 says the programme's content was reviewed before airing, but by a junior member of the commissioning team, and that in future all content will be authorised by the commissioning editor before broadcast. The content was also removed from the channel's on demand service when it became aware of the issue. [2] 8 The BBC confirm that Sitcom Still Game will return for a new series after nearly ten years off air. The Series would once again be filmed in Scotland. All Original Cast would be returning to the series. 9 ITV confirms that Emma Willis will continue to present The Voice UK when it moves to the channel in 2017. However, co-host Marvin Humes will not return, having decided to step down from his presenting role. [2] 10 Comedian and presenter Adil Ray is appointed an OBE in the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours . [2] Others from the world of television to be honoured include presenters Ant & Dec and actor Brian Blessed , who also receive OBEs, while actress Penelope Wilton becomes a Dame.

[2] 16 The BBC postpones the evening's editions of its political discussion programmes Question Time and This Week following the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox . [2] Organisers of the Miss Great Britain contest have stripped present incumbent Zara Holland of her title after the model, a participant in the current run of ITV's Love Island , was seen to have slept with a fellow contestant on the previous evening's edition of the show. [2] 17 The BBC announces Let It Shine, an eight-week talent contest that will see Gary Barlow search for participants to appear in a musical about Take That . Graham Norton and Mel Giedroyc will co-present. [2] 19 ITV confirms that former Miss Great Britain Zara Holland has left Love Island after learning that her mother had fallen ill. [2] 20 Ofcom launches an investigation into an edition of ITV's Loose Women aired on 17 May in which Katie Price 's teenage son used offensive language while discussing online harassment. The media regulator is also investigating sexual scenes from an edition of Big Brother aired on 12 June, and an item about sex toys that appeared on This Morning on 25 May.

[2] Channel 4 announce plans for an animated adaption of the classic children's book We're Going on a Bear Hunt, featuring Olivia Coleman in one of the leading roles. [2] 22 The BBC consumer affairs programme Watchdog confirms that journalists Steph McGovern and Nikki Fox will join its presenting team. [2] 27 Figures indicate that shares in ITV plunged by £2.5bn (20% of the broadcaster's value) on the day after Britain voted to leave the European Union , prompting fears the company could be vulnerable to a takeover bid. [2] Event 1 Patrick Holland, current head of documentaries commissioning at the BBC, is appointed to the newly created role of BBC Two channel editor. [2] 4 Ofcom censures the news channel RT UK after guests on its current affairs show Going Underground accused Turkey of waging a "genocidal war against the Kurds" during an edition aired in March. [2] Chris Evans announces that he is to step down as presenter of Top Gear, saying he was "not a good fit" for the programme.

[2] ITV confirms it has bought the broadcasting rights for the Lethal Weapon TV series, and will air it in a prime time slot. [2] It is reported that Andrew Wilson , Lorna Dunkley and Samantha Simmonds are all leaving Sky News as the broadcaster makes financial savings. [2] 5 The government publishes the Digital Economy Bill, which includes provisions to repeal a law protecting cable platforms from paying copyright or retransmission fees to public sector broadcasters; in response ITV says it will seek to charge Virgin Media for broadcasting its channels. [2] The BBC announces plans to open a news bureau in Toronto, as well as launching a Canadian edition of the BBC.com website. [2] The BBC plans to cut almost 100 jobs from its monitoring service in a bid to save £4m from the unit's budget from April 2017. [2] The BBC comedy Goodnight Sweetheart will return for a one-off special as part of a series sixty years of BBC comedy.

[2] 6 Anne Bulford is appointed as Deputy Director-General of the BBC, becoming the first woman to hold the position; the role had previously been inactive since the departure of the previous incumbent, Mark Byford in 2011. [2] The BBC have ordered a third series of Poldark , even though the second series will not be broadcast until later in the year. [2] The Advertising Standards Authority have banned a television commercial for Paddy Power in which a caller to a helpline is told that "even riff raff" could take part in a Cheltenham betting promotion. [2] 7 The BBC confirms that it will air two Christmas editions of The Great British Bake Off featuring participants from previous series. [2] Channel 4 confirms it has "no plans" to commission further editions of TFI Friday , which was briefly revived in 2015. [2] 13 The BBC confirms that Len Goodman will leave his role as head judge on Strictly Come Dancing following the next series. [2] 14 The BBC announces that it will not merge its BBC News and BBC World News channels.

[2] Sky announces that it will begin showing film and sport content in ultra high definition from 13 August. [2] 18 Ofcom decides to take no further action after receiving viewer complaints about an edition of Sky News from 12 June in which journalist Owen Jones stormed out during the middle of a newspaper review. Presenter Mark Longhurst and fellow guest Julia Hartley-Brewer had dismissed Jones's view that the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting "specifically targeted the LGBT community". [2] However, an episode of ITV2's Love Island that showed footage of two contestants engaging in sexual intercourse shortly after the 9.00pm watershed on 30 June will be investigated after eight viewers complained about the scenes. [2] Stefanie Martini has been cast to play a young DCI Jane Tennison in a prequel to Prime Suspect , it is reported. [2] 19 The Independent Press Standards Organisation have received over 1,400 complaints about a column a column appearing in The Sun in which Kelvin MacKenzie criticised Channel 4 News journalist Fatima Manji for wearing a hijab while reporting on the 2016 Nice attack .

Manji had co-presented the programme the day after the attack, but MacKenzie questioned whether she should have been allowed to do so. [2] Manji also subsequently makes a complaint to the press watchdog. [2] 20 Les Dennis confirms he will leave his Coronation Street role as Michael Rodwell later in the year. [2] 21 The BBC confirms plans to adapt Victor Hugo 's novel Les Miserables into a six part series. [2] The BBC has releases a collection celebrating the screenwriting of Alan Bleasdale , including his rarely seen first television work from 1975, Early To Bed. [2] 22 ITV announce Strictly Come Dancing's Anita Rani and chef James Martin will present This Morning on Friday's during the summer , as Eamonn and Ruth present the rest of the week. [2] ITV announces Dance Dance Dance, a celebrity-based programme that recreates classic dance routines, for 2017. [2] 26 Jason Burrill wins the 17th series of Big Brother UK .

29 Countryfile presenters at war: Julia Bradbury enrages woman she replaced in 'ageism' jibe | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV | Daily Express CELEBRITY NEWS Countryfile presenters at war: Julia Bradbury enrages woman she replaced in 'ageism' jibe COUNTRYFILE presenter Julia Bradbury has infuriated the older woman she replaced by saying she was not sacked because of ageism. 00:00, Tue, Mar 18, 2014 Julia Bradbury infuriated Mirian O'Reilly over her comments [BBC/PA] Miriam O’Reilly, 57, who won her age discrimination case against the BBC in 2011, has hit back at the 43-year-old on Twitter. The row began when Julia said in a newspaper interview: “I’ve been through millions of programme changes where they say, “Sorry, love, we’ve changed the slot. “With Miriam, the decision certainly wasn’t made because she was old. The decision was because they were changing the programme.” But the former presenter tweeted angrily: “So you know better than three judges and former BBC director general Mark Thompson who accepted the tribunal decision?

“Before you make ill-informed statements I suggest you look at the legal case – one day you might need it. Until then, good luck with the **** licking.” Last night friends said Miss Bradbury was maintaining a dignified silence. At her tribunal Miss O’Reilly told of her devastation at being axed after eight years in late 2008. Related articles

Question: In which BBC magazine style TV programme do John Craven, Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker take part?
Answer: COUNTRYFILE